Special rapporteur says children as young as 20 weeks old are being seized by military in bid to force suspects to hand themselves in

Myanmar’s military junta is systematically abducting the relatives of people it is seeking to arrest, including children as young as 20 weeks old, according the UN special rapporteur for the country.

Tom Andrews told the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday that conditions in the country have continued to deteriorate and that “current efforts by the international community to stop the downward spiral of events in Myanmar are simply not working”.

Villagers report school students mong those killed amid fighting with government troops near Gangaw township

Fifteen to 20 villagers, including several teenagers, have been killed in some of Myanmar’s deadliest fighting since July between government troops and resistance forces, a villager and reports by independent media said.

The fighting near Gangaw township in the north-western Magway region started on Thursday, two days after a call for a nationwide uprising was issued by the National Unity Government, an opposition organisation that seeks to coordinate resistance to military rule.

Acting president of self-declared government calls on civilian armed groups to target military that seized power in February coup

Myanmar’s self-declared parallel government, which was set up by pro-democracy politicians, has announced a “defensive war” against the junta, calling for civilian armed groups to target the military and its assets.

Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), said Tuesday marked the beginning of a nationwide revolt. He warned people to avoid unnecessary travel and stock up on essentials.